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probably afraid of the pointy end. feels threatening. at least that's how some ladies i've talked to about them feel.

Ummmm...not necessarily. Having the extra height along the length of the knife is very handy for transferring food from point A to point B. And the rounded nose is a nice place to rest your hand if you want to rock chop--which some santokus do just fine. The length and balance feel very nice on mine--some of the big gyutos make me feel like a freaking fiddler crab. Is a santoku the end-all, be-all knife for every situation in the ultimate scheme of things? Well, no. But neither is the gyuto. Like any other knife, it depends on what's comfortable and what's important to you as the person using it. I have both gyutos and santokus and like them both. Luckily I don't have to settle for a just one kind of knife.

ar11, if you live anywhere near a knife store, I'd advise going there with your wife and handling some things and see what she likes and is comfortable with. What you like, are comfortable with, and is something you can maintain in a manner that keeps you happy is what's important. And if you decide later you want something different, sell the one you don't like and get another.

Here's a comparison of some tips. At least one of them is a santoku. At least one is a gyuto.

Ummmm...not necessarily. Having the extra height along the length of the knife is very handy for transferring food from point A to point B. And the rounded nose is a nice place to rest your hand if you want to rock chop--which some santokus do just fine. The length and balance feel very nice on mine--some of the big gyutos make me feel like a freaking fiddler crab. Is a santoku the end-all, be-all knife for every situation in the ultimate scheme of things? Well, no. But neither is the gyuto. Like any other knife, it depends on what's comfortable and what's important to you as the person using it. I have both gyutos and santokus and like them both. Luckily I don't have to settle for a just one kind of knife.

ar11, if you live anywhere near a knife store, I'd advise going there with your wife and handling some things and see what she likes and is comfortable with. What you like, are comfortable with, and is something you can maintain in a manner that keeps you happy is what's important. And if you decide later you want something different, sell the one you don't like and get another.

Here's a comparison of some tips. At least one of them is a santoku. At least one is a gyuto.

With a santoku, a relatively larger part of the edge is being used with slicing. With a gyuto, a larger part of the edge is lost in the curve towards the higher tip.
In my humble home kitchen, a 190mm santoku feels all right, a 210mm gyuto a little too short. For tip work or where a narrow section is needed, I have other knives. Of course, if I want 'all in one', I take a 240mm gyuto. But a not too small santoku and a petty make a great combination.

I'm really liking my 240mm white #2 wa-gyuto and 150mm stainless wa-petty 240mm is manageable and i think leaning how to work with this knife made cooking more efficient. I found that thin and light japanese knives feel great, and not as intimidating.... ! If it is a thicker and heavier 240mm chef knife, I might not even lift it up.

Thanks for again for all the recommendations. I really wanted this knife to be a surprise for my wife, but based on feedback might be good for her to go hands on if we have time. JKI is about an hour away if we can manage the drive thru LA traffic

That seems a great idea, sure Jon will guide you both thru the process. Some guidance is useful as the very first impression with a new knife is often a very wrong one, just a comparison with what we are used to. I happened to dislike a new knife because its balance point was moved some 1/2" to what I was used to. After two days of short use I had adapted my grip, and since it has become a favourite.